Lok Sabha Member from Madhya Pradesh Virendra Kumar assumed charge as Minister of State  for the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment today, July 8.

Kumar is a member of the Indian Council of World Affairs and a member in the standing committee on labour.  Kumar is also the Member of Parliament from Tikamgarh constituency in Madhya Pradesh. He has in the past served as Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs in the first Modi government.   He replaced Thawar Chand Gehlot, who was appointed Karnataka governor ahead of the reshuffle on Wednesday.

The swearing-in ceremony, which took place at Rashtrapati Bhavan amid COVID-19 protocols, came days ahead of the monsoon session of parliament. Some of the key figures inducted into the Union cabinet include Jyotiraditya Scindia, Bhupender Yadav, Sarbananda Sonowal and Pashupati Kumar Paras.

Seven women MPs took oath as union ministers in the expanded council of ministers. They include Anupriya Patel, Shobha Karandlaje, Darshana Vikram Jardosh, Meenakshi Lekhi, Annapurna Devi, Pratima Bhoumik and Bharati Pravin Pawar. As many as 43 leaders took oath on Wednesday in the first Union Cabinet reshuffle and expansion after Prime Minister Modi returned to power for a second term in May 2019.

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